Bird-call.



W. H. SAUNDERS. BIRD CALL. APPLICATION FILED APR. 29, 1912."

Patented July 30, 1912.

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WADE HAMPTON SAUNDERS, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

BIRD-CALL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1912.

Application filed April 29, 1912. Serial No. 693,996.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVADE H. SAUNDERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at B0- anoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Bird-Call; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention belongs to the art of acoustics, and it particularly relates to a new and useful bird call, and especially to one adapted for imitating the yelping of Wild turkeys.

In carrying out the invention, it is the purpose to provide a tone tube, constructed of a section of corn cob, in the smaller end of which a stylus needle, constructed of any suitable wood or other fiber, for instance, such as ash or the like. This stylus needle terminates in a large head, the outer lower surface of which is substantially spherical. The body of the stylus needle upon two of its sides slightly beyond the tone tube, gradually merges or blends into a thin flat blade, which terminates abruptly and short of the head. Adapted to be used in conjunction with the combination stylus needle and tone tube is a thin fiat piece of slate or the like. The stylus needle when pushed across the slate with light grating strokes, with the flat sides of the blade at right angles to the plane of the strokes, readily vibrates, and the operator by holding the slate with its edge on his thigh and forming a cup or hollow about one side of the slate, and alternately opening the hollow and placing and removing the thumb of his right hand over the tube, he may imitate various notes of wild turkeys and the like.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a view showing the application and the use of the improved bird call. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tone tube with its stylus needle. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the tone tube showing the stylus needle secured therein. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the slate.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates the tone tube or arm, which is constructed of a section of a corn cob, the pith of which is removed, thus rendering the section of corn cob hollow, as shown at 2. The tone tube is of a tapering contour as shown, and secured in the smaller end thereof, by friction or some suitable adhesive material or other means is the body 3 of the stylus needle. The body 3 slightly beyond the smaller end of the tone tube gradually tapers upon opposite portions thereof into a thin fiat blade 4, which terminates short of an enlarged head 5 at the end of the blade.

In using the tube and needle, the spherical surface 6 of the head is brought in frictional contact with the slate plate 7, with the needle and tube at a slight angle thereto, as shown in Fig. 1, which operation will cause the blade 4 to vibrate, and the tube will act as a sounding drum or board, and by removing and placing ones thumb over the bell portion of the tube, the tone of the notes emanating therefrom may be varied. The slate plate 7 is adapted to be held in the left hand of the operator, the hand forming a hollow on one side of the plate, with one edge of the plate engaging the thigh. By alternately raising and lowering the plate with relation to the thigh, the hollow formed on one side of the plate may be gradually and alternately opened and closed, thereby also vary ing the tone of the notes of wild turkey and the like. The Wall of the tone tube is comparatively thin, and at the bell portion of the tube it gradually tapers to a fine peripheral edge, thus enabling the operator in producing true imitations of notes of wild turkeys.

This improved bird-call is especially adapted for use by hunters.

From the foregoing it. will be noted there has been devised a simple and etiicient improved bird-call, and one which has been found by experience to be desirable and practical.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. A turkey .call, comprising a tone tube, a stylus needle comprising a body portion,

which gradually tapers into a substantially ones thigh in moving frictional contact,

causing a vibration of the blade stylus VADE HAMPTON SAUNDERS needle, in imitation of the note of the Wild Witnesses:

turkey. HUGH S. BLACK, In testimony whereof I have signed my R. J. WATSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

